BEST LOCALLY OWNED RESTAURANT
BEST LOCALLY OWNED RESTAURANT BUTCH CASSIDYS
“Best Locally Owned Restaurant” is a coveted position for restaurateurs seeking Nappie glory. Really, in this town, how can one decide, and by what criteria? Is it the finest of fine dining? Is it the style of cuisine? I guess what I’m wishing for in a restaurant claiming that title is that it wins for multiple reasons. Our Florida Street favorite, Butch Cassidy’s, slid into this spot and the reasons are plentiful.
This iconic Midtown location is creeping up on its quarter-century mark. Open since 1993, owner Roy Seewer has made this place a brand of its own with the centerpiece of his menu the “soon to be famous” Butch Burger. This monster also won the award for best burger, and for many years the question on everyone’s mind was, “Will it be Butch’s or Callaghan’s this year?”
Yes, the burgers are amazing. But Butch Cassidy’s is no one-trick pony. Daily specials give you a reason to visit seven days a week. Home-cooked items like chopped steak, pork chops, greens, and red beans and rice supplement the menu that boasts “over 40 items priced under $10.” The Robber’s Roost sandwich is amazing. I also love shrimp and oyster poboys. Where else can you go in Midtown and build your own tacos?
Though the famous burgers could have long since dropped the “soon to be” from the moniker, the second most popular menu item is a helping of chicken wings. I am very particular about wings, and these are some of my favorites. They are like a tractor beam pulling me in. I prefer them straight off the menu with a side of bleu cheese, but sometimes I opt for “mistake” wings. These are wings that are cooked, then tossed in the sauce and fried again. The result is a delicious order of wings without the messy fingers. It almost seems like the sauce is on the inside.
Another reason to love Butch’s is that it is truly a neighborhood bar and grill in a spot that desperately needs such a thing. It is totally family friendly and never open late enough to get rowdy (they close about 9 p.m.), but the bar stools are always full of regulars. Happy hour is a favorite for its own set of locals. These are folks I have never seen anywhere else. They sit at the bar, eat their dinner, drink their drinks and catch the perfect amount of crap from Barmistress Karen. It’s her job to keep everyone in line, but deep down she has a heart of gold.
The ante is upped as Tuesday nights are filled with a rotating schedule of live music from 6-9 p.m. I have personally performed there as a solo, duo, or trio, and had as many as five on stage as other musicians come out to sit in. As if I don’t visit enough in the evenings, my children drag me there for lunch every chance they get.
It’s just that kind of place. You have to go, or you will miss it. The faces, the food, the margaritas and pitchers of beer, live music,and the fact that it’s like a family make it a regular stop on my route.
Let me say again that I do not vote for the Nappies, but I can understand why you voted Butch Cassidy’s as our best locally owned restaurant. Congratulations, Roy and crew. It’s what you find between the buns that really counts.